The Executive Branch of the Government

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The executive branch of the government enforces the laws of a country. As the only branch of the government with such a role, it is responsible for the effective day-to-day administration of any given country. It enforces laws created by the legislative arm of the government and interpreted by the judiciary. The President, the Vice President and the Cabinet constitute the executive (Dirck, 2007).

The executive works as the head of the government which is one of its important roles. It involves leading the country in national affairs and controlling the non-elected government officials/bureaucrats. The executive is in charge of the armed forces and thus responsible for determining the country’s security policies. Additionally, the executive branch enforces the country’s diplomatic policies.

This branch of the government has substantial power because of the decision it makes. The President as the head of the executive branch has a considerable influence on the other two branches of the government (Lijphart, 2008). The President has the power to call together the Congress or submit a certain law for consideration by the Congress. As for the judiciary, the president makes appointments of the Supreme Court judges as well as federal judges.

The executive derives its powers from the constitution. The constitution is the fundamental rules that govern a state. Ideally, this power lies in the people. The citizens of a country elect the government of their choice, which follows the laws of the constitution.

The power of the executive can be demonstrated by the current decision of the United States President Barack Obama to withdraw the U.S. armed forces from Iraq (Mason, 2010). Additionally, the President pressed the Congress to accept a payroll tax cut. The President’s decision to sign the health care bill making it a law is also an example of the power of the executive. Such a decision affects the country’s future and therefore proves that the executive is a powerful branch of the government.